"What the fuxk are you doing, Styles? If you can't concentrate on the game, sit on the bench cause we need today's practice to win the game tomorrow", the coach, Mr. Harvey yelled, making Harry look down in shame.
"Sorry, coach. Will get back in a minute", Niall replied, pulling his friend out of the field towards the bleachers, picking up the bottle of water on the go.
"H, you need to focus, man! This isn't good. Pull yourself together", the Irish lad reprimanded his friend, while their other friends joined them.
"Harold, it's gonna be four fuxkin years, lad. You need to move on. You need to win the game tomorrow coz it's gonna decide your future", Louis scolded Harry while Liam simply glanced at the helpless guy, not exactly knowing what to say.
"I- I.. I know. I'm sorry. It's just it's-", Harry stuttered when Liam cut him short.
"It's 25th today. So what H? Can't you understand the simple statement, you need to move on? How hard is that for you?", Liam knew he was being unnecessarily rude but it was needed for the well-being of his best mate.
"Mate, please understand. You have a whole future and uncountable possibilities before you. Don't ruin them for a figment of ya past", Louis tried to convince the green eyed boy who had unshed tears in his eyes and was doing everything to avoid looking at his friends' faces because he just can't make them understand his pain, no matter what. He just nodded his head, trying to pacify them that he got what they said.
"Ye- yeah. I... Ummm... I uh... Understand", he replied and jogged off towards his teammates, while Niall shook his head at his best friend. Liam and Louis often cleared their point to Harry through their strict and stern voices while Niall always tried to understand the younger guy. They all know Harry's plight, his pain and his struggle but they were just as helpless in this situation as Harry himself.
"I'm sorry, coach. I need this game to prove myself. I just lost myself for a moment back there. I apologise", he gave a small smile that didn't even reach his eyes but his coach patted his back in appreciation.
"You're a true talent, Styles. We need you on the team. Go on, smash it", Mr. Harvey encouraged but again it made Harry wince, which went unnoticed by the middle aged man. It reminded him of someone. He shook his head to clear the distracting thoughts. Nodding his head, he kept the smile on his face, as he joined his team.
___________________________________________
Three hours later, he parked his car in the garage, slamming the door behind him. He ran up the stairs to his room, ignoring his mother's call and concern. He entered his room and locked the door behind him, throwing his backpack away carelessly, before he broke out into sobs, which eventually became louder and louder, as he couldn't be stronger anymore. He laid on the floor, curling up into a fetal position, as his cries grew violent and thick. The pain in his heart was back again. It had been almost five years now but his heart still broke down as bad as it did all those years ago.
He didn't dare to close his eyes because those golden orbs still haunted him, the way they held his eyes captive, the way he let them peek into his soul, the way those eyes made him feel safe, secure and happy. But now, they were just a burning reminder of his pain, agony and loss. He wasn't aware of his mother standing outside the door, hearing his cry while her eyes shed silent tears at her son's misery and heartbreak.
"Harry, baby open the door. Please, let me in", she requested but he didn't move from his place. She knocked on his door, relentlessly for some time, before walking away knowing he wouldn't budge.
"Is he fine, Anne?", Niall questioned as he just entered the door.
"No. What happened today?", she asked, in hopes that it was just a quarrel at college which triggered him and not the memories.
